Monday, August 27, 2012

There's an ongoing war between
those who love ketchup, and those who hate it. Whether ketchup
democratizes taste or makes everything taste reassuringly predictable, is a
point that doesn't look like getting resolved.

I am a ketchup lover, but to
me, it's not about the taste. I would rather take the ketchup out of this whole
'taste' domain and replace it within a framework of 'enjoyment'. The
question, thus is : Is ketchup really enjoyable ?

I think, it really, really is.

First, the sheer act of
getting the ketchup out of its container delights me. From thumping the bottoms
of glass bottles, to squeezing the pichkus, doling out ketchup is an
experience that is immensely satisfying in itself. The soft, red blobs of
ketchup, offer instant gratification for the marginal effort that I put
into getting them out. Factor in the countless memories associated with funny,
ketchup serving accidents, and my bottle opens up this wonderful world of nostalgia, where my senses are sprinkled with subliminal happiness,
though I might not consciously acknowledge it every time.

For me, the visual appeal of
the ketchup precedes its taste. The sight of generous amounts of bright
colored, viscous, ketchup on anything edible, or an empty plate,
stimulates a feeling of gustatory delight even before I have actually
consumed my food. This might have to do with red being a more palatable color,
for it is unlikely that a purple colored ketchup would excite me as much.
The experience of consumption starts much before the actual consumption
itself, and in case of ketchup, its red color and viscous consistency play a
big role in making this experience pleasurable, without it's taste even coming
into the picture.

I also link ketchup to
indulgence. Despite its modest calorific value (as compared to mayonnaise, or
thousand island, or any other topping sauce), ketchup offers me the
satisfaction of indulging, without associating it with guilt. This de-linking of
indulgence and guilt is a quality almost unique to ketchup, one that makes it a
favorite of the health conscious and health agnostics alike. Interestingly,
this also makes it my steady companion in good times, where the idea of fun is
attached to excesses ( liquor, binging, movie marathons, staying up late,
etc.) I don't just add ketchup to my food, at times, I splurge it, with no
regrets, to celebrate the moment.

I don't mind adding other
ingredients and condiments to my food to make it taste better, but nothing
makes food quite as enjoyable as ketchup. Whether as a condiment, or a key
ingredient, I look at ketchup as pretty much the most amazing man-made food
item the world has seen so far. Naysayers have made a few good attempts in the
past ( think - mustard, mayonnaise) but it’s unlikely that they'd ever ketch-up
!

Long live the ketchup.

P.S: Found this tshirt design on wackyplanet.com. Ordering one for myself.

Image Source for " I love Ketchup" : www.redbubble.comUpdate: I came across this post by a friend and fellow ketchup lover. She talks about the 'taste' of ketchup, and presents an interesting perspective on why she loves it. Fun read :D

Haha A very fun-filled post! I love ketchup too... I can't even count what all eatables I combine it with. Hell, I can devour it without anything to go with. Just plain ketchup isn't plain after all. :D